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New omicron mutant surfaces in North Dakota; COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low

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New omicron mutant surfaces in North Dakota; COVID-19 hospitalizations remain low


One other extremely transmissible model of the coronavirus that is been spreading across the nation has surfaced in North Dakota.

State well being officers over the previous week confirmed the primary case of BA.2.12.1, one other descendant of the omicron variant of the coronavirus, and of omicron’s BA.2 mutation, which was first detected in North Dakota in early February.

“Early indicators are that (BA.2.12.1) is about 30% extra infectious than BA.2,” state Medical Companies Part Chief Kirby Kruger mentioned. “Illness severity seems to be just like BA.2, and vaccinations with a booster will seemingly present good safety in opposition to extreme illness and hospitalizations.”

BA.2 stays the dominant omicron subvariant circulating each within the U.S. and within the area that features North Dakota, based on knowledge from the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Final week it accounted for about 56% of recent circumstances nationally and practically 63% regionally. BA.2.12.1 accounted for about 43% of recent infections nationally and 36% regionally.

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Persons are additionally studying…

The State Lab places constructive COVID-19 take a look at samples by a “sequencing” course of to find out variants. Omicron stays the dominant one in North Dakota. All the sequenced samples previously week have been omicron.

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“Total, since omicron was first confirmed in North Dakota on Dec. 19, 2021, there have been 6,883 sequenced samples reported and 5,710 (83%) have been omicron,” Kruger mentioned. “Of the specimens collected on or after April 17 which were sequenced and decided to be omicron, 97.4% have been BA.2.”

Omicron spreads extra simply than earlier variants together with delta, however it typically causes less-severe illness than earlier variants, based on the CDC.

Weekly knowledge

COVID-19 circumstances in North Dakota proceed to tick up, with 723 confirmations over the previous week, based on the state Well being Division’s coronavirus dashboard. It is the sixth consecutive week that the entire has elevated. The earlier week’s complete was 613, and the week earlier than that it was 440.

“Circumstances are growing in North Dakota, however at a way more reasonable tempo than what we skilled in January with our omicron peak,” Kruger mentioned. “The emergence of those new variants is a reminder that this virus remains to be with us and nonetheless circulating by our communities. Happily hospitalizations are nonetheless comparatively low.”



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Kirby Kruger

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Thirty-one individuals with COVID-19 have been admitted to North Dakota hospitals through the week. Coronavirus sufferers proceed to make up a low proportion of hospital sufferers — taking over lower than 3% of occupied inpatient beds and intensive care unit beds statewide.

The 2 hospitals in Bismarck on Friday had a complete of 11 staffed grownup and pediatric inpatient hospital beds out there, and three grownup and pediatric ICU beds open.

There have been 242,462 confirmed COVID-19 circumstances in North Dakota through the pandemic that started in March 2020. Federal knowledge exhibits 2,272 virus-related deaths within the state, up 4 from final week. County-level dying knowledge will not be out there.

The state additionally not experiences the variety of energetic COVID-19 circumstances, as a part of the latest shift in its coronavirus method from pandemic to “endemic,” primarily that means that coronavirus is predicted to be part of day by day life.

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The weekly reporting goals to point out longer-term traits and severity of illness, reasonably than day by day virus knowledge that might be skewed by the truth that outcomes from extensively out there COVID-19 house take a look at kits will not be required to be reported to the state.

Extra info

Federal knowledge exhibits that North Dakota continues to have a few of the worst COVID-19 vaccination charges within the nation: 66.3% of adults within the state are totally vaccinated, with the speed for all vaccine-eligible individuals — age 5 and older — at 59.9%. The nationwide averages are 76.3% and 70.6%, respectively. 

COVID-19 booster pictures are really helpful for individuals 12 and older. North Dakota’s booster charge is 44.5%, in comparison with 48.1% nationally.

County-level COVID-19 dangers decided by the CDC could be discovered at https://bit.ly/3Clifrq. Burleigh and Morton counties each are thought of at low threat, as is way of the remainder of the state.

State Well being Division steerage and assets for companies is at https://bit.ly/3w0DpKj. 

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Go to https://www.ndvax.org or name 866-207-2880 to see the place COVID-19 vaccine is accessible. Info on free public testing and free take a look at kits is at well being.nd.gov/covidtesting. Extra detailed pandemic info is at www.well being.nd.gov/coronavirus and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Attain Information Editor Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.



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North Dakota

Jelly Roll to headline 2025 North Dakota State Fair

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Jelly Roll to headline 2025 North Dakota State Fair


MINOT, N.D. (KFYR) – A big North Dakota State Fair announcement. We now know who will headline the fair this year.

Jelly Roll is set to take the main stage in Minot on Sunday, July 20.

The Grammy-nominated artist also played at the state fair in 2023.

He just finished his sold-out arena tour, “Beautifully Broken” making 2024 his most successful year.

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Single tickets for Jelly Roll will be 80 dollars, it’s the same price for reserved seating or standing-room spots.

Tickets go on sale on March 3.

You can get them online, in person, or at one of seven kiosks throughoUt the state.

The North Dakota State Fair will soon release the other artists joining the line-up with Jelly Roll and Bailey Zimmerman.

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South Dakota State soars past North Dakota

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South Dakota State soars past North Dakota


BROOKINGS — The Jackrabbits had their shootin’ boots on Thursday night against North Dakota, blowing past the Fighting Hawks 109-73 before a First Bank & Trust Arena crowd of 3,261 in one of the most impressive offensive performances in recent memory by South Dakota State.

The win marked the second most points they’ve ever scored against a Division I opponent (fans may remember the 139 they dropped on Savannah State in 2018), and their .656 field goal percentage is the fourth-best of the D1 era.

Joe Sayler had 25 points for the Jacks — all of them coming in the first half — while Isaac Lindsey had 13, Oscar Cluff and Kalen Garry 12 and Jaden Jackson 11, as all 11 active players on the roster scored.

But hot shooting and scoring exploits aside, the Jacks needed this win. An 0-2 road trip last week dropped them to 1-2 in league play, and while it’s far too early to really be worrying about the standings, SDSU wanted to end the losing streak before it became an actual streak.

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“It was an important win, especially back on our home court,” said Lindsey, who was 5-of-7 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. “We knew this week in practice that this was a big game after a tough road trip and the coaches were on us but they stayed super positive with us. That helped us come to work with a good attitude, so we were gonna get back on track at home.”

Both teams started out hot, with SDSU leading 32-28 at the midpoint of a fast-paced first half. But the Hawks started to gradually cool off (or the Jacks played better defense), while SDSU just kept on ripping the nets.

The Jacks connected on 71 percent of their shots from the field before the break, and actually kept pushing that shooting percentage higher in the early stages of the second half before finally cooling off.

“We started off a little slow on the defensive end but we picked it up late in the half and when we play good defense our offense comes along,” said Sayler, who was 10-of-13 from the floor and hit 4-of-7 3-pointers. “We just trust each other to make the right play, shots went in tonight and that’s what we needed on our home floor.”

Matthew Mors had nine points, four rebounds and four assists, Owen Larson had six points, six rebounds and four assists and Damon Wilkinson had eight points and four rebounds.

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Amar Kuljuhovic had 14 points to lead the Fighting Hawks (7-13, 1-4), while SDSU held UND’s leading scorer, Treysen Eaglestaff, to 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Mier Panoam had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Hawks shot 47 percent in the first half but a dreadful 21 percent (7-of-32) in the second.

It’s almost become a running gag how Jacks coach Eric Henderson always focuses on and talks about his team’s defense no matter how well they play on offense, but this game figured to put that to the test. One of the most efficient and entertaining offensive performances the Jacks have put together in Henderson’s tenure — would he still credit the defense first in his postgame remarks? Of course he did, and when teased about it, the coach offered no apologies.

“You know me,” Henderson said with a laugh. “Joe’s performance was pretty special. The pace that we played with and how we shared the basketball is as good as we’ve done all year.”

Matt Zimmer is a Sioux Falls native and longtime sports writer. He graduated from Washington High School where he played football, legion baseball and developed his lifelong love of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, he returned to Sioux Falls, and began a long career in amateur baseball and sports reporting. Email Matt at mzimmer@siouxfallslive.com.

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North Dakota Forest Service leads group to fight California wildfires

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North Dakota Forest Service leads group to fight California wildfires


BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Since the Palisades wildfire began in California on Jan. 7, firefighting crews have been working to contain them.

Many western states have sent equipment and firefighters to help. Now, Hunter Noor of the North Dakota Forest Service is leading a task force of South Dakota firefighters to manage the Eden fires outside of Pasadena.

“It’s just a chunk of ground that starts going up into those high mountains they have there right outside of Pasadena. And we’re just patrolling fire lines, putting out hot spots and just making sure that the lines that are there hold,” said Noor.

Noor and his group plan to be in California for at least another week and a half.

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